6 candidates nominated for Iraq’s vacant Defense Minister’s post

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Six officers have been nominated for vacant Iraqi Defense Minister’s post by the “Independent Civil Society Alliance,” the Secretary-General of the “Honest Iraqi Sons Alliance,” Sheikh Abbas al-Mohammadawi stated on Saturday. “Following the long time that took place to put an end for the crisis of appointing Iraq’s Security Ministers, and as the Iraqi citizen had paid the tax for this delay, that caused the deterioration of the security in the country, the Independent Civil Society Alliance had nominated 6 personalities for the Defense Minister’s post,” Mohammadawi said in a statement, copy of which was received by IraqiNews.com news agency. He said that “all the nominated persons are outstanding military officers, known with their long service and potential in this respect, along with their good reputation.” “The candidates are the Commander of Baghdad Operations, Staff General, Ahmed Hashem, the Assistant Chief of the Iraqi Army Staff, Muzher Shaher Nuseif al-Azzawi, the Director of the Military Movements, the Staff Major-General, Murdy Muhsin Faleh al-Duleimy, Assistant Army Chief Staff, Staff General, Abboud Ganbar Hashem, Lt-Brigadier, Laith Yassin Abbas Ahmed al-Obeidy and Major-General, Mohammed Sabri Jamil. Iraq’s Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, had assigned Iraq’s Minister of Culture, Saadoun al-Duleimy, for the post of Acting Defense Minister, whilst al-Iraqiya Alliance, led by former Prime Minister, Iyad Allawi, had said that the decision would deepen the crisis of the Security Ministers’ posts. Differences have escalated over the candidates for the Interior and Defense Ministers posts, since the formation of the current government on 21/12/2010, with the first, being the share of the National Alliance, led by Maliki and the second by al-Iraqiya Alliance, with each side rejecting the candidate of the other. SKH (ST) 195